Artemis Illuminati
by Akhlys
Summary: The night before Elizabeth's wedding is tainted by moonlight. (JackElizabeth)


A/N: Originally this was going to be NC-17, but it's been sitting on my hard drive incomplete for so long that I decided to post what I have.  
  
ARTEMIS ILLUMINATI  
  
========  
  
Tomorrow.  
  
Tomorrow was going to change every aspect of Elizabeth Swann's life. Not that she wasn't looking forward to it -- though she was certainly nervous. Who wouldn't be, the night before her last name changed?  
  
Elizabeth Turner. The first time those words had formed in her mouth, she had begun the adventure of a lifetime, one that had ultimately resulted in her and Will's final union. And although she could have lived without much of that journey, some of it she couldn't forget -- nor did she want to.  
  
The second time those words had been spoken, they had come from Will's tongue, and she had relished them. Mrs. William Turner. In just a few hours, she would answer to that name. A grin swept across her lips and she walked to the window, gazing out at the moonlight ripples on the water.  
  
Moonlight.  
  
Her smile faded immediately, and she turned her face away abruptly. She loved Will every moment of every day, loved his gentle smile, tender kiss, warming eyes. She loved Will when they relaxed indoors in the evening, when they bid each other goodnight.  
  
She forgot about him when moonlight touched her.  
  
Perhaps the curse of the Black Pearl had affected her in some small way, but that was highly unlikely. The truth was that her memories haunted her, surfacing fully when the silvery slits of light entered her eyes.  
  
Memories of a calculated rescue. The soft fragrance of oceanwater mingling with a rugged, masculine odor. The feeling of pure, carnal lust coursing through her veins alongside rum. Matted hair against her cheek. Perpetually moving fingers ceasing their motion around her shoulder.  
  
Memories of Captain Jack Sparrow.  
  
She didn't love him. She wasn't sure what she felt about him. She only knew that she strayed from the moonlight as she strayed from Aztec gold.  
  
Perhaps she was afraid of him.  
  
Perhaps she enjoyed being afraid of him.  
  
Perhaps that was entirely the problem.  
  
Will was a perfect gentleman, despite his pirate descendence. He would never harm her, never do anything she didn't say was alright. He would protect her at all costs, live and die for her.  
  
Any girl would be perfectly content with that. Any girl, that is, but Elizabeth Swann. The woman who had grown from a pirate-obsessed child, savoring fear and rebellion. Naturally, as she had aged, the wild part of her had been shoved into remission. But these past few months had found her reliving her childhood, her dreams about pirates, her imagination's forays into the world of the pirate lifestyle. One which she understood much more intimately, now.  
  
But Elizabeth was not willing to give up Will to these ridiculous fantasies, no matter how realistic or important they were. She loved him.  
  
"I love him," she spoke out loud, hoping that would reassure her.  
  
It didn't.  
  
Love was such a silly thing, if you actually thought about it. It could be the most painful thing in the world if not used correctly. Why anyone based things on it was beyond Elizabeth. Certainly it had played a huge part in everything Will had done to rescue her, and honestly that frightened her. The fact that he relied solely on his love for her placed a huge responsibility on her shoulders, and she wasn't sure how ready she was to accept that. She wasn't sure how ready she was for anything.  
  
'Everyone's nervous on the night before their wedding,' she informed herself. 'It's perfectly normal.'  
  
Normal. If anything, Elizabeth Swann did not want to be known as the perfectly normal and pristine wife of Will Turner, who directed defenses as an honorary officer in the Navy. Of course he still had and made his swords, instruments which absolutely fascinated her despite her ineptitude at actually using them.  
  
She turned to the window once more, letting the moonlight pale her skin.  
  
"Normalcy is overrated," she told the silence below her. It was late. Very late. And she was awake on the night before her wedding thinking about a man who was not her fiance.  
  
She glanced out at the ships docked on the shore. She knew the military ones very well since Will insisted on showing her the latest developments and improvements on them; and almost all of the larger personal boats she knew as well. But there was one large boat out there she didn't know, one she could barely see, but which chilled her to the bone. One far away from the dock so that no one would notice it unless they were looking, one with black sails. There were many boats with black sails. But only one could boast Jack Sparrow as its captain.  
  
"He wouldn't," she murmured to herself, leaning out the window and looking around carefully. "He couldn't."  
  
Though Sparrow had been in her thoughts since Will had pulled off his daring rescue, they had not seen each other in the eight months that had passed. It wasn't surprising -- the crew of the Black Pearl had absolutely no reason to visit her settlement -- if anything, they should be avoiding it. Will had wanted to invite Jack to their wedding, but circumstances had made that impossible. However, word of their wedding had spread to several nearby colonies.  
  
Elizabeth slowly drew herself back inside the room, sighing as she turned her back to the window.  
  
A scream would have ripped from her lips if he hadn't pressed his hand to her mouth, silencing her. His other hand trailed over her hair, her face, his rough fingertips just skimming her skin. His eyes, dark, dark eyes, scanned her face, knowing, laughing, and so dark. He was so close to her. So close. Captain Jack Sparrow's presence was undeniable.   
  
So was the effect it was having on her.  
  
Her knees practically gave way and she gripped the windowsill to hold herself up. When he was satisfied that she wasn't going to scream and give him away, he stepped back. Not far. Just enough that she found a split-second to compose herself somewhat in between the blatant lust she was sure was flowing from her pores, and the delicious anticipation that something was going to happen.  
  
"You shouldn't be here," she informed him, a tad too breathlessly. "You need to leave."  
  
"I don't need to do anything," he moved his mouth around his eager smile, reaching for her wrists and leaning in close. His breath smelt of liquor.  
  
"You're drunk," Elizabeth snapped, her voice much stronger than she felt. Even as she spoke the words she knew they weren't true.  
  
"I'm not drunk," he replied, stepping back again, his hat askew. "Just enjoying some rum. I'm sure you remember enjoying rum." His grin widened.  
  
"Why are you here?" she demanded, resisting the urge to collapse.  
  
"I hear you're having yourself a wedding tomorrow," he winked, and Elizabeth's eyebrows arched. "Didn't think I'd make it? Come now, missy, I wouldn't miss it for..." he trailed off. "I wouldn't miss it," he grinned.  
  
"Well -- Will most certainly will be glad to see you, but perhaps you should go in search of better accomodations," Elizabeth suggested, glancing over Sparrow's shoulder to the other window.  
  
"Wondering how I got in here, eh?" he followed Elizabeth's gaze. "Yes, that's it! Right through that window. Terribly easy to climb up, you know. Maybe you should look into that."  
  
"Maybe in the morning," she didn't know how much longer she could take this. He was there. After months of impure dreams and lustful thoughts, he was right in front of her. "Captain Sparrow, I would ask you to be so kind as to leave me to my rest."  
  
"Oh, of course, of course," Jack held up his hands, backing away. "Big day tomorrow."  
  
"You may go see Will, perhaps he'll give you a room." Elizabeth glanced towards the window.  
  
"Well, I could do that," Jack glanced at his nails, teasing. "Or I could stay."  
  
"Captain Sparrow, I shall call for my father to remove you," Elizabeth's tone was losing its calmness, and her threat was empty.  
  
And Jack knew it.  
  
He moved closer to her, pinning her once more against the window. "Big. Day." His gaze flickered and he announced, "I've thought of you, Elizabeth. More than once."  
  
"Have you," Years of keeping her voice carefully controlled were slowly being forgotten.  
  
"Often." His eyes rested on hers, quite suddenly, and Elizabeth suddenly found her lungs had shrunk. "Have I crossed your mind at all?"  
  
"Not recently," she lied.   
  
Jack laughed. "Not recently. Hm. And as recent is a relative term, I can imagine that in this case it means in the last, oh, second."  
  
"You are far too bold, Captain Sparrow," the words left her mouth as mere whispers.  
  
"Maybe! Maybe that's true." A half-smile decorated his flawless face. "But I'm right, en't I?"  
  
Silence.  
  
"Knew it," Jack sang. "So. Tomorrow, my dear Elizabeth, you become Mrs. William Turner. Right lovely name, that is."  
  
"It is a lovely name," Elizabeth murmured.  
  
"Got you into a lot of trouble though," Jack's eyes became downcast and he shook his head, mocking sadness. "Are you excited? I know I am. Drinks for all."  
  
"If you do not let go of me this instant there will be no drinks for -- " Elizabeth was cut off by the sudden presence of Jack's lips on hers.  
  
A kiss.  
  
This kiss was far different from any she had ever experienced. For one, it was nothing like Will's soft, sweet caresses. It was bold, hard, and fierce. His chin was rough with hair, his mustache scraped her skin. His hands held her shoulders, his hips pressed against hers. Her eyes opened wide, unbelieving.  
  
He moved away after a moment and smiled his half-smile. "You enjoyed that," he stated.  
  
"I..." There were no words. Elizabeth was completely speechless. She had never, not in all her life, felt such unadultered lust and passion towards...anything.  
  
"Just wanted to pop by and let you know I was in town," Jack grinned, moving towards the window. He wiggled his fingers at her in the resemblance of a wave. "Ta."  
  
Elizabeth was rushing at him before she was aware of what she was doing, and then she was throwing his hat to the side, and her lips were on his and her arms were around his neck and his hands were on her waist. She pressed herself into him, needing him in a way almost supernatural, something that she would never be able to describe or understand. But understanding was far from her list of priorities at the moment. At the moment, the only thing in the world that mattered was Captain Sparrow and his surprisingly delectable mouth. So she kissed him. Just as he had kissed her.  
  
"Why that's far too bold," Jack's eyes glittered as they separated. "I think you should try it again."  
  
She did.  
  
This time it was harder, with more bodily contact, more teeth and tongue. This time there was something more in the kiss, something that flooded both of their bodies. Elizabeth felt her insides do a little flip; her heart skip a beat; and she wondered if she would care if it never started again. Then electric tongues met, and Elizabeth was lost in the moonlight.  
  
He was pushing her towards the bed, and suddenly she fell backwards onto it, Jack toppling onto her. Her mind began to interject, but she glanced to the window and her body took over.  
  
Captain Sparrow was not a stranger to the female body, Elizabeth noted wryly as he straddled her, gazing down greedily. She could feel something hard pressing into her stomach, and in a flash she knew exactly what it was. She suddenly realized only her nightgown and undergarments stood between her and nakedness.  
  
"I have thought of you," Elizabeth spoke softly, and Jack looked at her.  
  
"'Course you have," Jack responded, but there was something serious in his voice. Then he leaned down to kiss her, and all thoughts faded. 


End file.
